Printing-telegraph receiver



E. w. ADAMS. PRINTING TELEGRAPH RECEIVER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I4, I918- Patented Dec. 21,1920.

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E. W. ADAMS.

PRINTING TELEGRAPH RECEIVER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14,1918. I

' Patented Dec. 21,1920.

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UNITED STATES Parent OFFICE.

EDGAR W. ADAMS, OF EAST ORANGE, 'NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 WE COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF. NEW YORK, N. '55., A CORPORATION srnnn nnnornrc or new YORK.

PRINTING-TELEGRAPH RECEIVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

Application filed February 14, 1918. Serial No. 217,174.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR W. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing-Tele-' graph Receivers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to printing telegraph systems and has for its object to provide'a new and improved form of receiving printer for use in such systems.

The invention comprises a plurality of permutation elements, controlled by selector magnets, which, when set in any one position, in response to a particular combination of signal impulses over a line, will cause a circuit to be closed through a pinrality of break points to one of a plurality of contact points over which wipes acontact member carried by a rotating member, for example, a type wheel shaft.

The invention further comprises means for releasing said rotatable member for movement in response to certain signal combinations, and means for arresting the motion of said rotatable member when the particular contact point selected has been encountered by the contact member. The permutation means are also adapted to close circuits through a plurality of break points leading to mechanisms which operate to perform their functions independently of the movement of the rotatable member.

The receiving mechanism herein disclosed may be operated in conjunction with the transmitting arrangement disclosed in a copending application Serial No. 209,967, tiled January 2, 1918.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings, of which Figure 1 is an elevation showing certain portions broken away of the permutation circuit-closing elements; Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modification ofthe device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of part of the device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view of part of the device shown in F ig. Q; and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic representation of the circuit arrangements for the improved printer. I

-As shown in the drawings, with particular reference to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the invention comprises a plurality of switch elements 1 which are suitably mounted in an arcuate-shaped bank of suitable insulating material 2. The switch elements 1 are arranged in regular horizontal and vertical rows. All of the elements in any one vertlcal row are adapted to be connected together so that when the device is operated, as hereinafter described, a circuit is established from ground 3 through the particular vertical row ofswitch elements 1 to a contact segment 4:. There are a plurality of these contact segments 1, each one adapted to be connected to a vertical row of switch elements 1. The contact segments 4 are arranged in a circular row and over them is adapted to wipe a contact arm 5 carried by a rotatable shaft 6, the upper end of which carries a type wheel 7. To shaft 6 is fastened a disk member 8 having a circular row of indentations in its lower face. An armature 9, carrying a projecting lug 10, is adapted in its normal position to bear against the lower face of the disk 8 so that the lug 10 is in position in one of the indentations in the lower face of disk 8. This armature is adapted to be retracted by the actuation of electromagnet 11 to release disk 8. An armature 12, similar in formation to armature 9, is positioned opposite armature 9 with respect to the disk 8 and is actuated by a magnet 13, and when actuated is adapted to press a projecting lug 1 1 into one of the indentations heretofore mentioned. The armature 12 in its normal position is withdrawn from the face of disk 8.

Centrally disposed with respect to the arcuate-shaped bank :2, is a shaft. 15 bearing a plurality of disk members 16 positioned thereon at suitable intervals. The disks 16 have a plurality of pairs of switching elements 17 arranged along their outer edges, and these elements 17 are adapted to contact with the switching elements 1 and close the circuits heretofore mentioned.

Each of the disks 16 is adapted to be actuated to give it a slight angular motion, by a selector magnet 18 connecting with the disks 16, by means of suitable levers 19. The switching elements on the arcuate-shaped bank 2 and the disk 16 are so arranged that for each setting of the disks 16, in response to the operation of their selector magnets, one particular circuit'is closed through a vertical row of break points formed by switching elements 1. In addition, certain of the vertical rows of switching elements are so arranged that when the circuit through them is closed, other devices are energized not related directly to the shaft 6, as will hereinafter be described. The contact member 17 carried by the disks 16 are resilient and when moved into position between the switching elements 1 afford a flexible but firm contact therebetween.

The modification shown in Fig. 2 is arranged in the same general manner, excepting that in this modification the disks 16 bear a plurality of pins 17, which, when actuated, are adapted either to close or open a plurality of spring-switching elements 1 as shown.

Referring to Fig. 5, which represents the circuit diagram for a printer in which the invention is used, there is provided a line 200 over which signal combinations are received to actuate a line relay 201 in a wellknown manner. The actuation of the line relay 201 causes the selective operation of a plurality of selector relays 211 to 215 inclusive through the intermediate action of a distributer 202 which is of any well-known type. The selector relays 211 to 215 inclusive, when actuated, close circuits to a plurality of selector magnets 221 to 225 inclusive, these selector magnets being connected, as above described, to permutation disks, the movement of which are adapted to actuate a plurality of contacts and close certain determined circuits.

WVe will assume that a signal has been sent to actuate certain of the selector magnets 221 to 225 so as to close the contacts designated 231 to 235, inclusive. These contacts when closed connect ground through the break points to a contact segment 239, over which an arm 236 on a shaft 237 wipes. The shaft 237 carries a type wheel 238 at its upper end.

The distributer arm 203, after it has energized the various selector magnets in the manner mentioned above, makes contact with a special segment which is connected to battery and energizes a release magnet 204, the windings of which are connected to this special segment through the upper armatures of relays X, Y and Z. Relay 204 attracts its armature, which, in the normal position, locks the disk 240 on the type shaft, and by releasing, permits said shaft and disk to rotate under the influence of any suitable source of power. As soon as relay 204 is energized, it locks up through battery its inner left armature and the back contact and right armature of a stop magnet 216. The energization of relay 204 also prepares a circuit as follows: from battery, winding of spacing relay 207, outer left armature of relay 204, printing magnet 217, stop magnet 216 to a rotating arm on type wheel shaft 237. The rotating shaft 237 having been released as above-mentioned, rotates, and as soon as contact member 236 makes contact with the segment 239, to which a ground has been applied as above described, the circuit from the spacing relay just described is completed, which causes the. energization of the relays above mentioned as being included in that circuit. Thereupon the stop magnet 216 attracts its armature, forcing it against the disk 240 to stop the same, and at the same time printing magnet 217 is actuated to cause the printing of the character presented to the paper by the arrest of the type wheel shaft in that particular position. l/Vhen spacing relay 207 is energized, a locking circuit for itself is established from ground, right armature of relay 207, winding of relay 207, to a battery connected to spacing magnet 210, as is clear from an examination of the drawing. The energization of relay 207 also energizes spacing magnet 210 to cause the same to space the carriage after printing. lVhen magnet 210 is actuated, the holding circuit for relay 207 is broken. lVhen the stop magnet 216 energizes, the holding circuit for the release magnet 204 above described, is broken at the armature and back contact of stop magnet 216, whereupon both the armatures of release magnet 204 are retracted, thereby breaking the circuit above described from spacing relay 207, causing the deenergization of the stop magnet 216 and the printing magnet 217. The selecting magnets 221 to 225 inclusive and selecting relays 211 to 215 are deenergized to permit them to return to normal condition, by the placing of a ground on battery 241 through the armature and front contact of stop magnet 216, so that the windings of the abovementioned magnets and relays are short circuited.

This invention also provides means whereby certain other operating functions of the printer may be efli'ected, which operations are independent of the rotation of the shaft 237. For example, if it is desired to space without printing, certain of the selector magnets 221 to 225 are energized in a par ticular combination and in a well-known manner, and close the circuit from ground through the contacts :1 to Q inclusive, leading to relay Y. Relay Y, thereupon, becomes energized, attracting its armatures. Through its upper armature the circuit pre viously mentioned leading to release magnet 204 is broken, thereby preventing the operation of said release magnet and the movement of the shaft 237. Through its lower armature,.a ground is put upon spacing relay 207, which thereupon energizes, and in addition to establishing a holding circuit for itself as before, causes the energization of spacing magnet 21.0. The holding circuit for spacing relay 207 is, however broken immediately upon the actuation of the spacing device. The spacing magnet 210 is adapted to actuate one or the other of pawls 66 and 67, thereby moving the carriage 68 in one direction or the other, depending upon which pawl is actuated. The lower portion of each pawl is adapted to be engaged. to hold the pawl stationary by a detent arm 69, actuated through a cam mechanism 60 and magnet 205, which is in series with the line feed magnet 206. When the pawl 66 is held by detent arm 69, pawl 67 is actuated by spacing magnet 210 and vice versa.

In a similar manner relay Z may be actuated to shift the type wheel to print upper case characters. The attraction of the lower armature of relay Z establishes an energizing circuit through shift relay 208, which in turn controls the energizing circuit through shift magnet 209, the attraction of the upper arn'iat'ure of relay Z thereby preventing the operation of release magnet 204.

In a like manner relay X may be actuated to establish an energizing circuit through the line feed magnet 206 and magnet 205. Each time the line feed magnet 206 is actuated, magnet 205 is also actuated to move, through the cam mechanism 60, the detent member 69, thereby permitting a reversal of movement of the carriage 68 in order that printing may be effected from left to right or right to left as desired.

These various auxiliary functions are also described in a copending application, Serial No. 209,967, filed January 2, 1918, and since they are not claimed as forming a part of this invention, a further detailed description of the various operations is unnecessary.

From the above description, it is clear that a new, improved and simple device is provided for positioning the type shaft and for performing the various other functions of a printer by closing any one of certain circuits having a plurality of break points therein, which are adapted to be closed through the operation of the selector magnet controlling the permutation elements.

What is claimed is:

1. A printing telegraph receiver wherein the characters are represented by permutations of impulses, selecting mechanism responsive to said impulses, a rotary selector switch, circuits controlled by said selecting mechanism and said selector switch, electromagnetic means in circuit with said rotary switch for stopping the rotation thereof, and printing mechanism controlled by said selector switch for printing the desired characters.

2. A printing telegraph receiver wherein the characters are represented by permutations of impulses, selecting mechanism responsive to said impulses, a rotary selector switch, circuits controlled by said selecting mechanism and said selector switch, electromagnetic means in circuit with said rotary switch for stopping the rotation thereof, and printing mechanism connected in series with said selector arresting means for printing the desired characters. K

3. A printing telegraph receiver comprising selecting mechanism, rotary contact making devices controlled by said selecting mechanism and adapted to selectively control a plurality of circuits, a selector switch normaly tending to rotate, means for releasing the selector switch to close one of said circuits, and means responsive to the closing of one of said circuits for arresting the rotation of said selector switch.

4.. A printing telegraph receiver comprising selecting mechanism, rotary contact making devices controlled by said selecting mechanism and adapted to selectively con trol a plurality of circuits, a selector switch normally tending to rotate, means for releasing the selector switch to close one of said circuits, and means responsive to the closing of one of said circuits for arresting the rotation of said selector switch and for controlling said selector releasing means.

5. A printing telegraph receiver comprising, in combination, a type wheel shaft, means for holding said shaft stationary, a plurality of circuits having break points therein, a plurality of selectively operating circuit-closing elements adapted to respond to signal combinations and to close all but one of the break points in one of said circuits in response to a given signal combination, means controlled by'the type wheel shaft to close the remaining break point in said circuit, means for releasing said shaft-holding means, and means operated when said circuit is closed to arrest the type-wheel shaft.

6. A printing telegraph receiver comprising, in combination, a type wheel shaft, a disk carried by said shaft, a brake adapted to engage said disk and hold said shaft stationary, a plurality of circuits having break points therein, a plurality of switch elements adapted to control said break points, a plurality of selector magnets, permutation disks bearing said switch elements and operated by said selector magnets in response to signal combinations to close all but one of the break points in one of said circuits in response to a given signal combination, means controlled by the type wheel shaft to close the remaining break point in said circuit, means for releasing the brake, a stop member, and means in circuit with the typeshaft-controlled means to actuate said stop member and arrest the motion of the shaft when said circuit is closed.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 7th day of February A. D., 1918.

EDGAR W. ADAMS. 

